Heroin Withdrawal, Drug Addiction and Rehab
Becoming addicted to a drug such as Heroin or Cocaine is very frustrating for the addict and their loved ones.
Families don't know how to help, and addicts don't know how to quit.
Then addicts start experiencing heroin withdrawal or some other side effects that throw them for a loop.
Many times addicts don't know how difficult withdrawal is going to be when they first start using.
If they did, many would never start.
Is checking somebody into rehab the way to go? The one thing that matters more than anything when determining whether or not to take an addict to rehab or not is whether or not the addict is mentally ready.
It's difficult for somebody to admit they have a problem.
It took me a long time to admit this, and it's like that with most people.
One thing that can be encouraging is if addicts realize that most of the people in rehab are just like them.
I never realized how many people were as messed up as me until I went.
It was reassuring to discover that I wasn't alone.
When an addict checks into rehab, they're usually sent to detox first.
This is a place where they'll stay for 2-7 days to get the drugs out of their system and to get through the worst part of the withdrawal.
For heroin withdrawal many rehabs will give patients suboxone, for alcohol withdrawal patients are usually given Benzos like Ativan or barbiturates like Phenobarbital.
Heroin withdrawal is almost never fatal, but rehabs usually prefer to give patients suboxone because it makes the withdrawal more tolerable.
Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal in many cases and so rehabs are obligated to medicate the withdrawal.
Once patients get through detox, they start the rehab part of treatment.
It is very similar to school.
There are meetings, group therapy, one on one counseling, and something known as didactic.
This is just a fancy word for technical lecture.
This is where patients learn the science of addiction or receive a detailed lecture on the 50 ways alcohol can kill you etc.
When I was in treatment, many of the patients were diagnosed as having a mental illness along with having an addiction.
This is extremely common.
It is important that a patient with a mental illness such as generalized anxiety disorder, ADD, or bipolar disorder be properly treated.
Otherwise their chances of relapsing are almost 100%.
Almost all rehabs utilize a 12 step approach.
12 steps are okay, but I'm not too crazy about it.
However, almost every major rehab uses the 12 step framework so it's basically the only game in town.
There are other treatment methods, but they are difficult to find facilities.
Families don't know how to help, and addicts don't know how to quit.
Then addicts start experiencing heroin withdrawal or some other side effects that throw them for a loop.
Many times addicts don't know how difficult withdrawal is going to be when they first start using.
If they did, many would never start.
Is checking somebody into rehab the way to go? The one thing that matters more than anything when determining whether or not to take an addict to rehab or not is whether or not the addict is mentally ready.
It's difficult for somebody to admit they have a problem.
It took me a long time to admit this, and it's like that with most people.
One thing that can be encouraging is if addicts realize that most of the people in rehab are just like them.
I never realized how many people were as messed up as me until I went.
It was reassuring to discover that I wasn't alone.
When an addict checks into rehab, they're usually sent to detox first.
This is a place where they'll stay for 2-7 days to get the drugs out of their system and to get through the worst part of the withdrawal.
For heroin withdrawal many rehabs will give patients suboxone, for alcohol withdrawal patients are usually given Benzos like Ativan or barbiturates like Phenobarbital.
Heroin withdrawal is almost never fatal, but rehabs usually prefer to give patients suboxone because it makes the withdrawal more tolerable.
Alcohol withdrawal can be fatal in many cases and so rehabs are obligated to medicate the withdrawal.
Once patients get through detox, they start the rehab part of treatment.
It is very similar to school.
There are meetings, group therapy, one on one counseling, and something known as didactic.
This is just a fancy word for technical lecture.
This is where patients learn the science of addiction or receive a detailed lecture on the 50 ways alcohol can kill you etc.
When I was in treatment, many of the patients were diagnosed as having a mental illness along with having an addiction.
This is extremely common.
It is important that a patient with a mental illness such as generalized anxiety disorder, ADD, or bipolar disorder be properly treated.
Otherwise their chances of relapsing are almost 100%.
Almost all rehabs utilize a 12 step approach.
12 steps are okay, but I'm not too crazy about it.
However, almost every major rehab uses the 12 step framework so it's basically the only game in town.
There are other treatment methods, but they are difficult to find facilities.
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